Classical Cajun Gumbo

The violin. The fiddle. One instrument, yet the musician's bow and plucking fingers can create so many different sounds, styles, cultural associations, and audience appeal on it's strings. This groundbreaking concert blends the diverse talents of Doug Kershaw, recent inductee to the Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame and the 1st inductee to the Cajun Zydeco Hall of Fame in Louisiana, with the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) Symphony Orchestra - voted the BEST College Orchestra in the U.S. in the Downbeat Magazine Awards 6 times in the last 8 years. It's a medley of rich orchestral sound combined with the hot licks and energy of Kershaw's legendary fiddle, creating a "gumbo" of savory sounds stirred up with appreciation for the stringed instrument. Mix in some horns, woodwinds, percussion and Kershaw's 5-piece country/rock band, and you have a recipe for a night of musical magic! More than just a single performance, this union brings together educators and student musicians from the UNC School of Music with one of America's unique musical treasures. Doug Kershaw is self-taught with his own signature style of fiddle playing and story telling. He's written thousands of tunes and recorded 410 songs on 30 albums, working with Hickory Records, RCA, Columbia and Warner Records. He's been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 20 years and performed for over 60 years, earning fans worldwide, yet amazingly, he doesn't read or write music. Underlying this unprecedented musical synthesis is the challenge of translating Kershaw's Cajun-inspired country/folk/rock music into written charts for the orchestra. Working directly from Doug's recordings, UNC School of Music faculty Erik Applegate, Richard Fuchs, Russell Guyver, and David Caffey are arranging 21 of Kershaw's original songs for expression by the full orchestra conducted by Music School Director David Caffey. Through Doug's collaboration in this process, he is learning to read and write music while providing the University numerous clinics and rehearsal sessions with unparalleled educational opportunities for student musicians to learn about various musical styles, playing techniques and cultures.

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The violin. The fiddle. One instrument, yet the musician's bow and plucking fingers can create so many different sounds, styles, cultural associations, and audience appeal on it's strings. This groundbreaking concert blends the diverse talents of Doug Kershaw, recent inductee to the Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame and the 1st inductee to the Cajun Zydeco Hall of Fame in Louisiana, with the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) Symphony Orchestra - voted the BEST College Orchestra in the U.S. in the Downbeat Magazine Awards 6 times in the last 8 years. It's a medley of rich orchestral sound combined with the hot licks and energy of Kershaw's legendary fiddle, creating a "gumbo" of savory sounds stirred up with appreciation for the stringed instrument. Mix in some horns, woodwinds, percussion and Kershaw's 5-piece country/rock band, and you have a recipe for a night of musical magic! More than just a single performance, this union brings together educators and student musicians from the UNC School of Music with one of America's unique musical treasures. Doug Kershaw is self-taught with his own signature style of fiddle playing and story telling. He's written thousands of tunes and recorded 410 songs on 30 albums, working with Hickory Records, RCA, Columbia and Warner Records. He's been a member of the Grand Ole Opry for 20 years and performed for over 60 years, earning fans worldwide, yet amazingly, he doesn't read or write music. Underlying this unprecedented musical synthesis is the challenge of translating Kershaw's Cajun-inspired country/folk/rock music into written charts for the orchestra. Working directly from Doug's recordings, UNC School of Music faculty Erik Applegate, Richard Fuchs, Russell Guyver, and David Caffey are arranging 21 of Kershaw's original songs for expression by the full orchestra conducted by Music School Director David Caffey. Through Doug's collaboration in this process, he is learning to read and write music while providing the University numerous clinics and rehearsal sessions with unparalleled educational opportunities for student musicians to learn about various musical styles, playing techniques and cultures.